Update coming: May 30, 2014
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Update: May 27, 2014
JACKSON, Miss. – The Jackson State baseball team received its postseason destination Monday, as it was revealed during the NCAA Baseball Selection Show and the Tigers will participate in the Lafayette Regional. JSU will face the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, the host institution for the Regional, Friday night at 6 p.m. (CT) at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
JSU (31-23, 9-15 SWAC) is set to appear in its sixth NCAA Baseball Championship. JSU head coach Omar Johnson has led the Tigers to a second straight NCAA Regional. Last season, JSU won its first SWAC championship under Johnson (the program’s first since 2000) and went on to play in the Baton Rouge Regional. The Tigers went undefeated during the 2014 SWAC Tournament, eventually defeating Alabama State 9-8.
San Diego State and Mississippi State have also been selected for the four-team regional. All NCAA Regional games will be televised on one of the ESPN network channels. The winner of the Louisiana-Lafayette Regional will advance to the Super Regional against the winner of the Mississippi Regional, which includes Washington, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State and Ole Miss.
NCAA Regional Schedule
Lafayette, La.
M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field
All times Central and subject to change
Thursday, May 29
Practice Sessions (Open to Public)
Friday, May 30
Game 1 – 1 p.m. – #3 seed San Diego State vs. #2 seed Mississippi State
Game 2 – 6 p.m. – #4 seed Jackson State vs. #1 seed Louisiana
Saturday, May 31
Game 3 – 1 p.m. – Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser
Game 4 – 6 p.m. – Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
Sunday, June 1
Game 5 – 1 p.m. – Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Loser
Game 6 – 6 p.m. – Game 4 Winner vs. Game 5 Winner
Monday, June 2
Game 7 – 6 p.m. – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 6 Loser (if necessary)
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The Jackson State University baseball team won its second consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championship with a 9-8 win over Alabama State Sunday at Wesley Barrow Stadium at MLB Urban Youth Academy in New Orleans. The university celebrated the team during a reception May 19 at the Penguin in Jackson.
The victory, which earned JSU its 16th SWAC baseball title and an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, also marked the fourth time the Tigers recorded back-to-back championships.
“We expected this,” said JSU head coach Omar Johnson. “We returned the same group we had last year. There are adversities in each season but our expectations never changed. Everybody played well, especially in the last game. I think everyone had at least one hit. For the week, we had 47 hits and 36 runs.”
Desmond Russell (9-4), who finished the year as the conference leader in strikeouts (83), picked up the win for coach Omar Johnson’s Tigers after pitching five innings. Russell was named the game’s MVP.
“My team was my motivation,” Russell said. “We stayed together. We came back to win the championship. This was a big accomplishment for us.”
JSU’s Melvin Rodriguez and Tilur Smith led the Tigers with three hits each. Smith, the SWAC Newcomer of the Year, and Charles Tillery each scored two runs for the Tigers.
With the championship, the Tigers earn the conference automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. A congratulatory reception for the team, who will return to Jackson late Sunday, is set for 11 a.m. Monday at the Penguin.
Robert Braddy, former Jackson College baseball player, JSU baseball coach and director of athletics, attended the 2014 SWAC baseball tournament.
“It was an awesome tournament for our guys,” said Braddy, a member of the JSU Sports Hall of Fame. “They played great at the right time. They played great fundamentals. Coach Johnson did a great job of getting them up to play. JSU is back on track. I am proud of them.”
“It is great,” said Mario Kirksey, president of the JSU Alumni Players Association. “Omar has done a good job of recruiting. It’s good to see all of the hard work come together in winning back-to-back championships. It’s also great to see the students are doing a great job in the classroom. This is something about which JSU alumni across the nation can be proud.”
The Tigers were down by one run after five innings, but took the lead for good after a three-run sixth that was led-off by Rodriguez’s RBI single to left that scored Smith. The sixth inning ended with JSU on top 8-7. Each team added its final run in the eighth inning.
Earl Sanders, a former professional baseball player and member of the JSU Sports Hall of Fame, also attended the tournament.
“It feels like old times,” said Sanders. “You can’t take anything from them. They are the defending champs and they beat a good Alabama State team. It was one of those games that you couldn’t enjoy. It was so intense! We were well represented. Fans turned out. The administration was there. It looked good for the school.”
The Tigers’ 2014 SWAC championship victory comes less than two weeks after the team’s bus caught fire near Birmingham, Ala., while traveling to take on Savannah State University.
“Considering all the adversities the team has dealt with this season,” said Robert Cook, president of the Tiger Fund, the official fundraising arm for JSU athletics, “to win the SWAC championship after going undefeated in the tournament is nothing short of incredible! This is a story made for the movies.”
Coach Johnson said he isn’t sure where the Tigers may play next, but possible sites includes Florida State, Louisiana Lafayette, Ole Miss and LSU.
Joann Jones, president of the Blue Bengals Athletic Association, said her group was looking for ways to support the baseball Tigers in the NCAA tournament.
“Congratulations to our back-to-back SWAC champs and best wishes for the selection for where they will go next,” Jones said. “The Blue Bengals just says congratulations and we will be there to support you in the next round.”